The Leadership Drives Podcast’s Post

*A MOMMA (AND DADDY) I MADE IT MOMENT* I started my career in K-12 education when I was just 16 years old teaching Black History to elementary school students at Summerbridge (New Haven) at Hopkins School where I also served as the student member of the board. The summer before I began college, I did an externship at the Yale Child Study Center under Dr. James Comer’s leadership, who served on the board too. I went on to focus on creating positive school culture and climates for the next 12 years, transitioning to DC with a goal of dismantling the school-to-prison-pipeline at the federal level. The work I do at the intersection of politics and policy gets more attention, and only those who “know me, know me” know about my love of and work in the education equity, child development, and psychology spaces. While I now fight inequities with the many tools I’ve picked up along the way, I have always remained committed to and involved in education, including serving as Chair of DC’s Title I Committee of Practitioners (a federally-mandated body focused on educational equity) for 8 consecutive years. Even my doctoral degree is in (education) leadership, with a specialization in policy and administration. Before you can create new knowledge, a requirement for earning the degree, you must master what already exists. To share the stage with the very people whose work you had to study and master, as a newbie, is a BIG ^#%*in DEAL! I couldn’t think of a better way to pop back on the scene as a doctor than joining these academic superstars for this panel! I am genuinely honored “and” privileged to do what I do. I thank my Soror, Dr. Chonika King for her vision and leadership. Doctors Pedro A. Noguera, Bettina Love, Sheryl Evans Davis, EdD, and Chonika Coleman-King you all inspire me. Thank you. -The CROWN Act Champion & Scholar #education #doctor #educators #policy #students #schools #researcher #aera #climateandculture #freedomfighters #crownact #racialequity #racialjustice #educationequity #freedomschools #liberation

We’re absolutely sure that Baron R. Davis, Ph.D.’s keynotes at ASU+GSV Summit this week will get people thinking. And we say that because his recent op-ed for EdPost—co-authored with Institute for Education Innovation CEO and Founder Doug Roberts—got *us* thinking about what’s behind the exodus of #superintendents and what education leaders can do about it. https://lnkd.in/eEZqHqTH   It’s an honor to work with Dr. Davis, an award-winning #education #leader, former superintendent and high school principal, and CEO and founder of The Noegenesis Group.   In the piece titled “Support Superintendents: Build a Culture of Trust and Stop Turnover, they write, “As devastating as the past four years have been for superintendents, hope is on the horizon. To create meaningful, long-lasting change, it will require a collective effort from communities, educators, and board members.”   They include three key steps for ending the discord and upheaval: 1. Revisit the power of diversity, equity, and inclusion #DEI 2. Bring back bipartisanship to school boards 3. Support and uplift women and leaders of color   Their conclusion: “We’re at a critical crossroads. Political discourse must take a backseat to communication, empathy, and trust to create a culture of respect that flows throughout the district.”   #Education #K12 #ThoughtLeadership #Leaders  

It was an honor to be interviewed by Authority Magazine on the five things you need to know to be a highly effective educator or teacher. As CEO of Brooklyn Lab Charter School, it is my responsibility to set up an environment in which my team — from classroom teachers to custodians – are set up for success. Here’s what we prioritize: · Compensation · Supporting teammates’ wellbeing · Investing in development · Representation · Cultivating a culture of belonging I hope you’ll read the full piece to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gD9rqmDy

Excellent write up of my suitemate Jonathan Breiner leading the BIPOC Teacher Pathway program University of Cincinnati - College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services. With so much focus on VP Harris right now, it is critical that we realize the value and impact of having mentors, teachers, and leaders that look like those they serve. This is a great weaving of personal story and statistical evidence. Please give it a look. https://lnkd.in/gjrw3jcD

If you think the schools are doomed, I beg you to go spend some time in the ones really doing the work. I took a bunch of leaders to Achievement First's Bushwick Middle School and left convinced more than ever that running great schools is possible. It's even more possible when you have leaders like Samantha Jones, Bushwick's principal, creating an environment for all kids to thrive. Here's our list of what Principal Jones's school values based on what we saw and heard during our visit: - We want our students to be brave: We take risks here. We make mistakes in front of our peers. And we get feedback. And we get better. Especially in discussion. - We want students to learn from their peers: We discuss. We debate. We build off one another's ideas. Discourse helps us make our draft ideas even better. - We know the data, and we respond to the data: 15% of students aren't as engaged as they can be in class. Everyone knows who those students are. Coaches coach the teachers to engage those students. Teachers put those students on their clipboards and go out of their way to coach them to speak up and do the thinking they know they can. - We want our students to know they have a voice and use it: Teachers aren't here to hear their voices. They're here to create the conditions for student voices to take center stage. - We believe in the quality of student work: Teachers know the exemplar AND know how to get students to meet that bar. Work habits matter. We take pride in the quality of our work here. - We do what's best for kids: Our kids' needs are the most important factor for how we make decisions. We include what we know works and transcend existing frameworks to do what's best for them. The kids in Bushwick are going to be all right because of Sam Jones and her incredible team at Bushwick Middle School.

Check out this great article highlighting School of Education alum who are transforming education! I’m honored to personally know and have worked with both Chuck Herring and Brianna Ross. They are truly making a difference! Hail to Pitt!

Yesterday, we held the final convening of the East Side Alliance Transformation Network, a four-year partnership of nine schools in San Jose, CA. The network focused on improvement in middle grades math for the first two years and whole-school transformation for the final two years. Partners is very proud to have supported collective action to improve on-track outcomes for students on the East Side. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll share highlights from the convening including opening remarks from Glenn VanderZee, superintendent of the East Side Union High School District; our honoring of Oak Grove School District Superintendent Jose L. Manzo, who is retiring at the end of the school year; and recognition of five individuals who’ve been awarded scholarships to support them as they earn their administrative services credential and become even stronger results-oriented change agents (ROCAs). In addition, we’ll share the reflections of the school teams that were the heroes of this four-year journey. Because Partners believes in the power of story-telling as a way for schools to capture their continuous-improvement work and spread successful practices, we invited each team to encapsulate their growth in five-minute Ignite presentations. For example, pictured below is the team from Davis Intermediate – Ginelyn Kudsi, Jose Acosta, and Rachel Pike – who reflected on several improvement efforts over the past four years, including a refinement of professional learning communities that has resulted in greater teacher engagement and agency, increased collaboration among teachers of different grades, and improved student-teacher relationships. The Davis team’s story is just one example; stay tuned for more! #education #equity #EducationEquity #K12Education #EducationalLeadership #EducationForAll #ProfessionalDevelopment #StorytellingForChange

It’s only been about 15 years in the making … In January, I was appointed a Parent Governor at my kids’ primary school federation. I’ve long wanted to join a Governing board because I know how influential our early years can be on our outcomes later in life. But my oh my, it’s been a baptism of fire. I now know how embarrassingly naive I was; how little I actually knew about how schools are run; the strict & necessary boundaries, the highly limited budgets and the cultural complexities teachers have to navigate. Today, I’m at my computer attending the National School Governors Awareness Day event. It’s a day discussing the governance of inclusion in schools. We’re only one session in and it’s fascinating. Only 28% of Governing boards currently reflect the diversity of their school community. And only 18% have a designated inclusion governor. A parallel too often seen in the corporate world, right? And a powerful place for us to start reimagining how we impact the world of work through our early education systems. What do you think? . . . #schoolgovday #leadingchange #womeninleadership

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas unanimous Supreme Court decision which made racial segregation in schools unconstitutional finding that "separate but equal" was "inherently unequal." I certainly do not need to discuss the challenges we face as a system in education. Inequities still exist. Poverty. Trauma. Societal ills which are more complex than they were in 1954 plague schools today. There is still much work to do to insure all students receive an equitable, inclusive educational experience. Let us pause to acknowledge those not only on the national level but those in your community who have fought and continue to fight to ensure every child truly means every child, every day. So you may ask, "What can I do? 🌟I encourage every educator to become aware of how systems work. Attend school board meetings - you do not need a reason or invite. As a tax paying citizen, you have every right to attend the meetings. Most meetings are live streamed so if you can't attend, you can view them at your convenience. 🌟Know the names of those who represent your community at the local, state and national levels. They all have email addresses, physical addresses and phone numbers. Let your voice be heard and advocate for students and teachers. Let them be aware of how the decisions they make affect the families and students that you teach and serve in your schools. Another action you can take is make sure you keep your skills set up to date. As we wrap up the school year, you will have time for some reading! 😉 Head on over to Amazon and purchase S.T.A.N.D.: Five Powerful Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Becoming an Instructional Leader. Through an easy to remember acronym, I provide current and aspiring instructional leaders with the tools to guide your schools to achieving an equitable instructional experience for all of your students...which will assist in living out the purpose of the Brown vs Board decision. #myhopeisbuilt #womensupportingwomen #womenentreprenuers #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #Instructionalleader #instructionalleadership #teacherleader#teacherdevelopment

As educators, we know that learning happens when kids feel safe, engaged, and joyful. In early childhood settings, we embrace play-based learning and follow children's interests, creating environments where they lead the way. But as they move into the K-12 system, that approach often shifts. We see more rote learning and less opportunity for students to be at the center of their own education. Is this truly what's best for them? 🤔 Gabriel Hannans aka the ndomitable black man and I had a powerful conversation about how we can bring more student-led learning into classrooms at all levels. By asking the right questions and prioritizing students' developmental needs, we can create spaces where they learn through critical thinking, creativity, and connection. 🛤️ It's not just about the destination – it's about the journey. Let’s keep dreaming, keep asking questions, and keep pushing for an education system that truly serves our students. Listen to the full episode to hear more about our vision for the future of education! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g7GPAnQs #ReimagineEducation #StudentLedLearning #GentleParenting #CriticalThinking #EarlyChildhoodEducation #K12Education#EducationReform #PlayBasedLearning #StudentLed #GentleParenting #BrainDevelopment #FutureOfEducation #CriticalThinking #LearningThroughPlay #TeachingStrategies #InnovativeTeaching